I don't get to the lake every weekend and since I wasn't on Rayburn weekend before the 4th I got an update from my buddy Bryan O'Conner from Cypress who was ok with me sharing it here. Thanks Bryan!

I have always hated that I couldn't trim my motor up and down or deploy my Power Poles with my foot (hand's are kinda busy up here). Finally the JL Marine folks fixed the problem with new buttons where I can deploy the Power Poles even with rain boots on. Top that off they have old guy readable arrows on them, ordering mine today!

Spent the day yesterday on Cedar Creek with my buddy Skip Chancellor. Couple of observations, a sustained 20+mph wind out of the south on a lake that is nothing but retaining walls can get a smidge rough. A Z520 Ranger is one big a...well one big boat, and if you're going to be out in that kind of wind and rough water I don't know that you could be in a better ride. I would say overall the fishing was tough, lake looks to be in good shape but we fished 5-6 spots and really only got bit on 2 of them. Saw a club tournament weigh in as we came off the water and although it took over 20 to win, there were lots of 2-3 fish bags. We caught a fair number of fish, probably could have weighed something in the low teens, most of our fish came cranking docks and a couple off wood on a shakey head. Wish I had a better report but the wind really limited our running around and some of my favorite spots on the main lake. Water temp in the mid 80's.

Fishing a team tournament is not particularly fun by yourself, but nonetheless I thought I would catch them well yesterday. Unfortunately the water up shallow went from 78-79 last weekend to 85+ this weekend, and the fish I was catching just evaporated. About 10 I went out deep but I have to admit I was so disappointed in my morning I was basically just fun fishing and hoping for a couple of giants to decide that my Crush 500DD looked like something they just had to eat. I did catch several fish on it including a 2.83 spot that I think is the largest spot I've ever caught on Rayburn. But my best 3 weighed maybe 8 lbs and I knew that wasn't going to get me anything. Actually truth be told I pulled up on a deep spot and was getting bit on almost every cast but couldn't hook up late in the day. So I pulled a 3/4 ounce spoon out and sat on what may have been the biggest school of sandbass I have ever seen. I fished right through the weigh in just having a blast (hey I was catching fish and it was fun!). At one point I caught fish (ok, ok sandbass) on 11 consecutive drops. On one series for 4 drops in a row I went catfish, drum, sandbass, catfish.

In all seriousness congratulations to young guns Danny Isles and Brian Shook on unseating Clark and Rambo for angler of the year. Well done guys, really solid year.